Current rankings from U.S. News & World Report’s annual evaluation of the nation’s hospitals name Erlanger as the number one hospital in Chattanooga. The magazine also cites six specialties at Erlanger as high performing, far more than any other area hospital.
The magazine’s annual ranking of almost 5,000 hospitals is based on publicly reported data, such as volume, mortality rates, staffing levels, safety statistics, patient satisfaction data and surveys from 10,000 physicians. The resulting analysis is then turned into national rankings by specialty, region and by metropolitan area. The magazine published the 2011 rankings August 30.
“Like a football coach this time of year, we don’t focus a lot on ratings, but it is still very nice to be recognized,” said Erlanger Chief of Staff Dr. Woody Kennedy. “These rankings are based on hard data, so I think they do have meaning. Erlanger is certainly Chattanooga’s leading hospital by any number of measures.”
The rankings labeled Erlanger’s performance in diabetes & endocrinology, gastroenterology, gynecology, nephrology, pulmonology and urology as “high performing,” which the magazine defines as results “nearly at the level of nationally ranked U.S. News Best Hospitals.”
“High performance in so many specialties is a reflection of the excellent team at Erlanger,” continued Dr. Kennedy. “It is doctors and nurses, the University of Tennessee College of Medicine and Erlanger’s fine staff who all work together to make Erlanger a leader in so many areas.”
Erlanger CEO Jim Brexler agreed the rankings reflect teamwork. “This is an indicator of the quality of work from Erlanger employees and physicians. They’ve earned this recognition.”
Erlanger’s specialty ratings were highest in the city in 9 of 12 reported areas. In addition to the six “high performing” specialties, Erlanger’s ratings were higher than other major area hospitals in cancer care, cardiology and heart surgery, and in neurology and neurosurgery.
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